.Tramadol?

Question

I've had this terrible back-pain for the past year...but being 19yrs old at the moment, my mother doesn't believe i should talk to a doctor, and that i just need to start working out again. i can see her point, however, the pain, at its worst, will inhibit me from doing everyday-things like walking around or even sitting up comfortably in a chair. it comes and goes, and is mostly obvious when i do alot of physical activity (this case causes the pain for the next few days) or even when i'm sitting in my desk in one of my classes for over twenty minutes... is there a way i can get a doctor to prescribe me tramadol? i say tramadol because it's a non-narcotic/non-opiate but i hear it works better than aspirin and ibuprofen...which isn't cutting it for me right now. AND, if yes, is there a way to get it prescribed without my mom or our insurance know? (Mother's income has nearly ceased, i don't want any monetary stress on her right now...) please help out....it hurts... =-/

its weird....at times it doesn't even hurt at all. and i can walk and stand up quickly just like normal. but after moving around for awhile or sitting in a desk or something for more then fifteen---twenty minutes is when the pain hits....and its definately in the lower back region...my girlfriend tried giving me a massage to see how that works and it was a tad bit tender to the touch...but not at all unbearable. and it was the bottom part of the approximately third vertabrae from the tail bone, or close to that one. it feels as if it's a little raised up, like almost as if its out of place from the other ones...... =-/ dunno if this helps...

the best way i can explain where the pain is.....is saying its a vertabrae where a "tramp-stamp" tattoo would be placed......

Answer 1

If your back has been hurting severely for a year, you need to see a dr. Tell your mom how bad it is, get your insurance card from her, and go get yourself checked out. At 19, you shouldn't have severe back pain for a year, unless something's really wrong.

Tramadol is only available by prescription, and it doesn't work that well from my experience. Try taking some Aleve, and use heat for the pain til you can get to the doc. ThermaCare heat wraps work well for providing continuous heat for several hours and can be worn under your clothes.

Answer 2

I am a addictions therapist. Tramadol is an opioid (which means that artificial opiate). It surely can ping on urine exams even though no longer instantly. They can exhibit up as an "irregular" metabolite, that is what an opioid is. Tramadol is presently Schedule IV (very not too long ago) and that is considering that it's addictive. It is surely extra of a main issue at larger doses over an extended interval of time, but dependence does expand with an excessively nasty withdrawal.

Answer 3

What you describe sounds like you may have an injured or slipped disc in your lower back. Eventually you'll need to see a doctor but for now....get a back brace from the drugstore and wear it religiously. Also to dull the discomfort use over the counter Ibuprofen ...it comes in 200 mg tablets . Prescription doseage is 800 mgs so take 4 at a time but not more than 2-3 times a day and keep it as infrequent as possible that you use the 800 mgs as it is hard on your stomach lining (like most anti-inflammatory drugs are).

Answer 4

Dear Zeek,
Contrary to previous answers - (especially the one given by a "nurse"), Tramadol hydrochloride is indeed an opiate drug, albeit one of one moderate strength, and is only available by means of a prescription from a licensed medical practitioner.
Its clear from your account that your pain is sporadic, and that, from time to time, you feel able to indulge in bouts of serious physical activity. You are therefore extremely unlikely to have a herniated disk or you would have been in pretty extreme agony by now.
I don't know of any qualified health professional who recommends a 'back brace'. (We burned those 30-40 years ago).
Brufen is almost certainly the medication of choice for you. (Tramadol is not effective for this type of musculoskeletal pain). A primary care doctor might substitute Diclofenac Sodium (which can also be obtained in the form of a topical cream).
What is required is daily moderate activity and stretching exercises - you have probably strained a sacroiliac ligament or muscle and nothing more. (Why are Americans so absolutely obsessed with physical 'work-outs'??? Someone, please, tell me.....) You have to take care of your body, not subject it to periodic bouts of self-destruction. But if you really must indulge in 'training' - for what? - then at least do it regularly, under qualified supervision, and, to begin with, gently.

Answer 5

OMG please find a way to get this checked out. There are SOOO many things it can be. You are so young and I would just hate for you to end up with lifelong pain or serious problems because money is currently an issue. I don't want to scare you, but I DO want you to realize how important it is that you find out why you are in such pain. There are so many things it could be, and some could require immediate treatment.

Pain exists to let our bodies know there is a problem that we should check out. So all the medication will do is hide or lesson that pain (and believe me I know all to well how in the moment it's all we want lol).

I think you are being very kind and mature not to want to stress your Mom out financially. BUT think about it...is it normal for someone your age to be in such major pain that you can't function in your life? I don't know what your Mom's income is, but if its low did you know most hospitals and major medical centers offer free treatment after you fill out a mess of form. Is there any other adult in your family you can talk to about this? I just am very concerned that you have some problem that could be fixed, or might need to be fixed NOW, and you might end up suffering forever because of it. It is not right for that to happen to you, even if it means some pain in the butt paperwork.

I'll give you my history so you'll see I know some of what I'm talking about and why I want to drag you in to an MD myself. When I was about 10 years older than you I started having back pain that got worse and worse. I did what you are talking about doing (even worse I did it per an MD's instruction). I treated the pain without finding out what it was. What it was was a tumor, luckily benign, that had grown to the size of a grapefruit. Because it was so large, in taking it out I had severe nerve damage and I haven't had a pain free minute since.

So let's look at this from a few angle's. I was lucky it was benign. If it wasn't, as a friend of mine so delicately put it (she is a radiologist), I would have been dead when they found it. Had they found it sooner, it would have been a small operation and I would have been fine.

I am so sorry....I know I am scaring you, but I want to. This may be nothing, it may be a far less serious problem. But it could be something like this, which is why it is SO IMPORTANT you get it checked out. Won't the stress be far worse on your Mom if you end up with a major health crisis?

Maybe you could call a local medical center near you and ask what they offer for those in financial need. Don't just assume you can't afford it. But one way or the other PLEASE find a way to go have it checked out to at least know what you are dealing with! I'm not saying it is a tumor too...it could be many things. But it is SO important to find out what, find out if it needs any treatment, and to find out if there are things you shouldn't be doing that will make it worse. My wish for you is that you don't end up like me without pain free days. It is a horrid way to live. I wish I knew better....but at least now you do!

My very best of luck to you....and please find a way to go. Borrow money if you can't get it free, but I'm betting you can get it free if you are that broke. But this is an investment in the quality of the rest of your life!!!!